Question:
How much protein is too much? At what point am I just wasting my protein drinks and

supplements? I drink 2 protein drinks a day and eat one protein bar (total of 77 grams of protein) and then try to choose high protein food as well. I had thought about upping my protein drinks to 3 a day, for about a 100 grams of protein a day, but at what point is it useless to keep upping the protein? RNY 1-24-03, down 136 pounds.    — raye (posted on October 7, 2003)

October 7, 2003
Your protein needs decrease somewhat as you lose weight. I am at 165 down from 346 and I now require (according to my surgeon and the dietician) a minimum of 42 g of protein daily. I still get between 50 and 60 but only 15 of it comes from a protein supplement. My surgeon told me that more than the minimum is good but it's not necessary to go overboard and that the majority of our protein should come from protein rich foods as they are more complete proteins than the ones found in supplements.
   — Patty_Butler

October 7, 2003
Ask your nutritionist. Mine warned me about too much protein as you are losing weight because you could tax your kidneys, which can be dangerous. Good Luck!!
   — Susan M.

October 7, 2003
Grrrr ... I really can't fathom why nutritionists are somewhat negative about high protein diets. First, protein is one of the things we malabsorb after RNY surgery (but we don't malabsorb carbs and sugars), so that's a reason to eat more protein than the average person with a normal stomach. And in response to one of the posts below, you'd have to be ingesting an unbelievable amount of protein (and not enough water) for that to cause any kidney problems -- I just don't think that's really an issue for most of us. I've seen far more posts about protein deficiency than I have about kidney problems from excess protein (haven't seen even one of those yet, now that I come to think of it).<P> Second, protein foods and protein drinks help many of us keep our appetites in check. Protein foods tend to be denser (more filling) and lower in calories than carbs. Also, carbs, by releasing sugars into our bodies and causing sugar "highs" and "lows," create "head hunger" that, in turn, can leading to overeating in many people. This is more commonly a problem for those who are more than a few months post-op, when eating capacity increases and you really have to watch what you put in your pouch ('cause it holds so much more). Plus, I cannot count how many posts I've read here about people having a heckuva time grazing on carbs and sugars, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone say, Gee, I wish I could get this protein shake monkey OFFA my back! ;-P<P> Third, in reading the yahoo discussion board for long-term WLS post-ops, I've noticed that many of them rely on protein shakes to keep their weight stable or to get back on track. I was always much more worried about keeping off the weight I lost than losing it in the first place ('cause I've lost and then regained so many times, I didn't want that to happen with WLS, too).<P>I don't know if it's "useless" or not for you to add another protein shake, because I don't know how many calories you're eating (or what percentage of those calories are protein grams, carb grams, fat grams, or sugar). But I sure don't see how it could hurt. I'm 16 months post-op, at (or past) goal for seven months, and I get roughly 160 grams of protein or more every day (two protein shakes, rest from food). My labs still show my protein in the low-normal range even though I'm a proximal RNY (75 cm. bypassed), so there's no way I'd cut my protein intake down or risk falling below normal. How are your labs ... maybe that would help you decide.
   — Suzy C.

October 7, 2003
How much protein you need depends on how much lean body mass you have to support. Here is a site that will calculate it for you: \\houfsrv1\Risk\CES IS PROJECTS\2003 PROJECTS\CAISO Supplemental Bid Tool\Phase 1\CAISO SBT Requirements v1 10072003.doc<p>Mine comes up to 77 grams of protein a day. I know that I probably malabsorb some, so I aim for about 100. Most times I make it, sometimes not. And no matter what, you need to keep an eye on the TOTAL calories. Too many calories--regardless of where they came from--equals slower loss or even gain. If you add another drink and your calories were already sufficient, make sure it is a REPLACEMENT for something instead of an addition. But, looking at your weight loss, you seem to be doing just fine! :)
   — ctyst

October 7, 2003
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OK! WRONG LINK! =D<p>http://www.zoneperfect.com/site/content/calculator.asp<p>That should work MUCH better! *hee hee*
   — ctyst